Why Does the Sun Set?
by InaLndofMyth
Summary: A short collection of elegiac Merlin vignettes.
1. chapter 1

"Why does the sun set?" The child asked his mother. The woman abandoned her knitting needles and glanced at her son.

"Why do you ask?" She said, brow furrowing slightly. Her boy was an odd child. He was always curious about the most peculiar things and asked the strangest of questions. Mother and son did not share the same views of the world and Hunith only hoped he would not be harmed for his thoughts. For now she could protect him while under her mindful eye but when he would inevitably grow older, she would have to release him from her care.

"It goes away every evening and comes back every morning," the small boy explained in a high voice. His lithe figure was silhouetted in soft hues of the setting sun as he crouched in the kitchen window. "Where does it go? Why does it leave? Why can't it stay all night long?"

"If it remained in the sky then we wouldn't have a night," Hunith said. "Without night we wouldn't sleep. Without sleep we couldn't remain awake, and we couldn't eat or play or live or have any fun at all."

The boy tilted his little head. His calculating stare penetrated the very depths of Hunith's soul. "Alright." He said at last.

Hunith released a sigh. She feared he wouldn't accept her answer and demand another, the accurate reply, and the truth was the woman with a scant education knew very little about science or the ways of the earth and was too ashamed to admit she hadn't the knowledge of the works of the sun.

"Come down from there now. It's time for bed."

The child leapt down from the window and Hunith opened her mouth to berate him for jumping from so high — but he nimbly landed on his feet like a feather upon the water's surface and quickly bounced back on his toes. She caught a flash of gold as he turned to the wash bin.

 _Oh Merlin_ , she sighed as she took up her knitting. _You will be the death of me._


	2. chapter 2

"Why does the sun set?" The Warlock asked his mentor. The old man stifled a groan as he was startled by his apprentice's voice. This was the third interruption in only twenty minutes and Gaius was growing irascible. He nabbed a pair of wire spectacles by his elbow and raised them to his face.

"It doesn't," Gaius said as he held a squirming fire ant under in nose with a pair of tongs. It's little legs fought viciously, but to no prevail. Gaius had him in a firm grip and the ant would be going nowhere. The hot sun streaming in through the window illuminated the little bug perfectly for his old eyes.

"Not technically. I hear in Asia it is light there while it's dark here, and vise versa. Impossible it seems, but the travelers all claim it to be true."

"Is it magic?" The Warlock asked from his seat on the bench, swinging his legs with a spark of childish zeal in his eyes. He was so young for such magnificent abilities, his mentor mourned.

"Sure." Gaius motioned for the boy to pass him a glass jar that sat on the cluttered table. The Warlock jumped up and almost sent several vials crashing to the ground as he reached for the glass. It seemed that no matter the age, Merlin would never grow out of his clumsiness. The old man sighed and shook his head as his apprentice mumbled an embarrassed apology.

Gaius dropped the ant into the jar with the rest of its colony and slapped on the lid with tiny holes for air. He ambled across his chambers to place the jar upon a shelf, his long physician robes dusting the ground.

"Magic, science. Whatever you want to call it," Gaius shrugged. "Doesn't mean man will walk hand in hand with the mysteries of the world any sooner."


	3. chapter 3

"Why does the sun set?" The manservant asked his prince.

"What?" Arthur snapped as he tore off his armor. It had been a tedious and tiresome day of training the newest batch of Camelot knights, along with several trivial (yet painfully boring) audiences with his subjects over petty allegations that his father couldn't be bothered with. Arthur's only wish was to collapse in his bedchambers and have a warm meal waiting for him, along with a soothing bath for his aching muscles.

"The sun. Why does it set, do you think? You've been educated by the finest of tutors in the land — what do they have to say?"

"I don't know," Arthur sighed. "Lessons were so long ago and I can't be expected to remember every single thing that came out of Old Edgar's mouth. Most of it was rubbish." Arthur sagged in relief as Merlin helped out of his armor, purposely ignoring his friend's crestfallen face. He twisted his ring 'round his thumb as Merlin gathered the heavy metal in his arms and the two began walking the lengthy corridors that led to his quarters.

A chill, winter breeze danced through the hall. Arthur silently unclasped his cloak and draped it across his manservant's shivering shoulders. He had noticed Merlin running around in his hideous brown jacket because he couldn't afford a proper winter cloak, and the prince wasn't _completely_ heartless (despite what others said).

"I suppose... I recall one presuming the sun never went away; it only disappeared beyond the horizon to re-emerge as the moon."

"Really? Wow!" Merlin said, eyes far away in the realm of his mind. "That's so..."

"Don't start day dreaming," Arthur scowled, playfully ruffling the younger boy's hair. "You've still got to polish my armor, wash my clothes and sharpen my sword before you're done for the day and I needn't you getting all distracted now."

His friend sent him a grin and a wink. "Yes sir."


	4. chapter 4

"Why does the sun set?" The boy asked his love. His large, owlish eyes lazily blinked up at her. His fingers played with her brown tresses that fell onto his shoulder like a lovely curtain and the girl felt her heart swell with love.

Freya shifted awkwardly, her new dress of finery that she never dreamt of owning before now brushed the catacomb's ground in a forbidden whisper. Why must the world be so cruel to thrust a boy too good into her arms, knowing she would be the one who would push him away in the end?

"She grows too weary for this world."

The girl stifled a heartbroken sob as Merlin crept closer, his shadow merging with hers on the stone wall before them.

"We will go some place where the sun never sets," he whispered in the shell of her ear, breath warm upon her freezing skin. "Some place where we can be happy, and free; some place where we will be accepted for who we are. No longer will be shackled by unfair laws and fear and ignorance of this land."

A breeze passed by in a sigh, ruffling his soft hair as if the very wind could sense their intimate doom. There was never a more tragic love story than their's, she feared. Freya felt a hand take her own and heard a breath blow out the small flame. The candles was the first gift he ever bestowed upon her, the first possession she had to her name besides her tattered, red slip.

"I'd love that."

The two plunged into darkness, silhouettes gone in an instant. The catacombs seemed larger and eerier when submerged in blackness and silence. The girl was a creature of the night. She knew all of its secrets and normally walked with eased in the shadows; but that evening she was terribly thankful for Merlin's comforting presence to fight of the feelings of suffocating.

Freya snuggled deeper into Merlin's warm embrace, eyes fluttering shut against his steady heart beat. For a sliver of a moment she allowed herself to pretend they had all the time in the world.


	5. chapter 5

"Why does the sun set?" The son asked his father. Balinor choked on his own blood as his body slowly shut down. He felt a trembling hand brush away the ebony locks that he passed on to his son. Merlin helped him sit up and urged him to drink from a flask. The man pushed his offering hand away — he had no desire to prolong his death. He was by no means old in mortal years but felt as though his soul was ancient and his time was long over due. He was not afraid of death after living like such for so long; he was ready.

"The sun is but all the souls of the dragons Uther had massacred," Balinor croaked weakly. "Every night they must endlessly search for what was stolen from them so long ago, for what is rightfully theirs — for a home to call their own again. They cannot rest until they find their master once more."

The Dragon Lord traced a silver tear slip down his son's dirt-streaked cheek, and in that moment he had no greater regret than leaving Hunith and their boy. In that moment all Balinor ever wanted was to spend one more day with his son, to learn of Merlin's successes and failures and accomplishments and hardships. To know if Merlin was happy in Camelot, if he had friends and a home and a happy life.

He wanted to learn the important things a parent should always know about their child but also the small things as well, such as what Merlin's favorite color was and what food he liked best. Did he fancy anyone? Was he a morning person or a night owl? How old was he? (Balinor's mathematic skills were quite limited). When was his birthday? Did he like swimming? Could he read and write? Did he inherit his Mother's allergies to corn and dust?

Balinor had never once been there for his boy until now, only to leave him again just as soon. A ball of emotions lodged itself in his throat; there were so many things he wanted to say and to ask and he feared he wouldn't be able to speak at all.

Everything grew fuzzy and bright and the line's of Merlin's face blurred. "Will the souls ever rest?" He heard his son mumble.

Balinor did not reply.


	6. chapter 6

"Why does the sun set?" The sorcerer asked the Knights. They clustered around a small campfire as the cries of animals echoed in the shadows and night and woods beyond. Merlin felt shivers tiptoe up and down his spine.

"To allow us more time in bed with the ladies!" Gwaine cheered, flask of mead in hand.

Lancelot rolled his eyes good naturally as Elyan helped their friend stumble to his sleeping roll, where he was promptly dumped in a giggling heap.

"Why do you ask?" Percival inquired seriously over the crackling of the flames.

Merlin shrugged notoriously. A wolf howled in the distance. The sorcerer picked up a stick and prodded the fire. "I've just always wondered all my life."

"My Mother had a theory that with the sun went life and all things good," Lancelot mused. "She said: 'when we dream we are really dead, and every morn we are reborn again. That is God's curse upon mankind'."

"His curse?" Leon scoffed, flinging his golden curls over his shoulder. "For what? Eating the apple? He casted Adam and Eve from the Garden, was that not punishment enough?"

"Who knows," Elyan sighed. He rubbed the nape of his neck with a tired hand, chainmail rattling. "Let us sleep now, and if we must we shall be reborn."

The Knights rolled over and soon their breathing became steady, but Merlin remained awake for the fear of dying, until he couldn't keep his eyes open and promptly fell asleep as well.


	7. chapter 7

"Why does the sun set?" The servant asked his queen. Gwen took a shaky breath as she excused herself from the audience hall. Her skirts glided over the cool, alabaster stones as she walked aimlessly around the palace.

Guinevere never considered herself to be a faint of heart or imagined herself as one of those royal ladies who did nothing all day but sip tea and giggle and faint. Her father was a blacksmith and her brother was a knight and she herself had partaken in many battles, proving herself to be so much more than a silly swooning noble.

But Gwen had also never thought being Queen was going to be easy... yet having the power of life and death at your disposal with a mere command of your tongue was something she was slowly becoming accustomed to, and it honestly made her ill. How was she supposed to judge a man for a crime in only five minutes before moving on to the next — a crime that might've only represented five minutes of his life? He could've been married and had children but she was forced to condemn him to death because the law called for the blood of a thief.

"My lady?" Her friend mumbled a few paces away. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Gwen came to a halt. She was _Queen_ now, for _goodness sakes_. The _Queen_ of _Camelot_! She couldn't afford to look weak before her people — this was what their enemies wanted. She needed to gather her thoughts and pull herself together so that she could march back into the audience chambers and greet more subjects.

Guinevere turned to Merlin, long skirts whirling in a colorful array of crimson silk. "I was feeling ill before but I am much better now. I only... needed a moment to myself, 'tis all."

"Ah," Merlin shot her a knowing smile. "It can be rather sweltering in the Hall at this time of day, can't be good for anyone's health."

"Precisely," Gwen sighed. She sent him a grateful look and laced her elegant fingers gracefully. "And forgive me Merlin, but what did you ask?"

Merlin repeated his question.

The Queen peered out the window at her kingdom sprawling below. The shadows were long, the sky was soft and the people were lazy as they completed another long day of hard work. "The sun sets so that another day can arise. A new beginning for us all, a fresh start to do with as we please. We can craft nothing into something and something into a masterpiece when we are only given the chance."


	8. chapter 8

"Why does the sun set?" the Prophesied ask the Druid.

Mordred shifted slightly, armor rattling noisily. They were specifically ordered by Arthur to stand guard on the East Parapet and if they caught any sign of Morgana or an enemy they were to light the fires as a warning signal. But at the moment the only thing the two were guarding were their own shadows. Mordred supposed they could afford an answer.

"There was once a Druidic legend concerning the sun and the moon," Mordred said, slightly hesitant. The older boy never spared him a second glance (unless it was a glare) and he really couldn't fathom why Emrys was suddenly interested in chatting. Perhaps to pass the time? Or was he hoping to somehow gain information to use to his advantage? But Mordred figured that as long as Emrys was willing to be polite, he would play along as well.

"The sun and the moon were once a Sorcerer and a Witch. They were deeply in love and all the land that prospered beneath their care blessed the couple's union. But the Sorcerer's brother was envious of the two and he plotted to destroy his brother's love."

"Sounds like a poorly written novel," Emrys muttered.

Mordred purposely ignored him.

"The brother disguised himself and spent the night with the Witch while baring the appearance of his brother. In the morning the Sorcerer caught them and in a rage he killed his brother in cold blood. The Witch begged her love to spare her and ultimately he did — for he couldn't bring himself to take her life. Instead he took her soul and placed it in the sky, forever to be emerged in darkness.

"Years later when the Sorcerer died, his soul flew into the ether to join his old love at long last. But the night had need for only a single moon, forcing his soul to claim the day. Legend has it that every evening the sun sets a little faster in hopes that one day he might finally catch his moon."

Both boys cast their eyes to the moon that quivered magnificently upon a river of a stars, humming as it played a tune of solemnity.

"Do you share these beliefs?" Emrys inquired.

"I do not know," Mordred admitted. His Druidic childhood was so long ago and he hadn't practice his ancestor's beliefs in years and to be honest, he was surprised he even remembered as much as he did.

But Mordred had seen a multitude of religions and spiritual customs on his travels through the Five Kingdoms. How could he simply choose one thing to believe in and ignore all the other different religions.

"It could be possible," was all Mordred said.


	9. chapter 9

"Why does the sun set?" The fearless asked the fallen. The witch's features, once laced with kindness and grace and good, curled into an ugly sneer. The years had not been kind to her, yet it was obvious she still bore an ethereal essence of beauty.

"To reminds us there is no light without the dark. Good must co-exist with evil, as right is a servant to wrong," she sneered. "The night lurks behind every day; always has and always will. You can't escape your destiny, Emrys, and neither could I. I do not regret my life nor any of my actions and my decisions or choices. They have all lead me here, to this moment, and I could not ask for a different ending. I only wish to change but one facet."

"And that is?" Merlin spat, fists curling at his sides. Morgana watched his steady gaze scan the cave in hopes of finding something that could be of use to defend himself against her, but it was to no use unless he was to chuck a rock at her head — but she would simply block it with magic and send it back at him. Morgana felt a flutter of delight in her chest as he had never looked so hopeless before. The great and mighty Emrys was truly defeated.

She welcomed the raging fires of his eyes as he glowered at the woman who took it all from him: basking in his seething hatred as she chuckled cruelly.

" _You_."

Morgana raised her hand and sang a high note, and the rocks tumbled down from above in a shower of dust, stone, crystal, love and gold.


	10. chapter 10

"Why does the sun set?" the man asked himself.

He had not asked this question nor spoken this phrase aloud in centuries. Letting these words fall from his lips caused painful memories to whirl in minuscular bits before his eyes as they formed scenes and images from a time long ago.

The man curled his thin fingers into fists as he fought to keep out the melodies of the past. He bowed his head and closed his eyes, as if his frutile attempts would really succeed in chasing away the memories. Despite the closing of his throat and the sweating in his palms, he almost smiled at the familiarity of it all. If the man tried hard enough he could pretend it was as if he was sixteen again, hyperventilating in a dim corridor as the thoughts of chores, duties, destinies and lies threatened the possibility of a panic attack.

 _If it remained in the sky then we wouldn't have a night. Without night we wouldn't sleep. Without sleep we couldn't remain awake, and we couldn't eat or play or live or have any fun at all._

 _It doesn't... Not technically... I hear in Asia it is light there while it's dark here, and vise versa. Impossible it seems, but the travelers all claim it to be true._

 _I suppose... I recall one presuming the sun never went away; it only disappeared beyond the horizon to re-emerge as the moon._

 _She grows too weary for this world._

 _The sun is but all the souls of the dragons Uther had massacred... Every night they must endlessly search for what was stolen from them so long ago, for what is rightfully theirs — for a home to call their own again. They cannot rest until they find their master once more._

 _With the sun went life and all things good. When we dream we are really dead, and every morn we are reborn again. That is God's curse upon mankind._

 _The sun sets so that another day can arise. A new beginning for us all, and a fresh start to do with as we please. We can craft nothing into something and something into a masterpiece if we are o lot given the chance._

 _Legend has it that every evening the sun sets a little faster in hopes that one day he might finally catch his moon._

 _To reminds us there is no light without the dark. Good must co-exist with evil, as right is a servant to wrong... The night lurks behind every day; always has and always will._

 _ **Breathe. Breathe. Breathe**_ , his younger self would have chanted. _**In and out. One, two, three. Inhale, exhale**_. The noise around him would grow in a roar and his vision would tumble into darkness.

 _Anewbeginningwouldn'thaveanightlegendhasitimpossibleitseemsandalwayswillbeyondthehorizoncurseuponmankindanewbeginningwouldn'thaveanightlegendhasitimpossibleitseemsandalwayswillbeyondthehorizoncurseuponmankind_ —

And then the sweet, bliss of nothingness would take over. But — _oh_ _god_ , he couldn't breathe.

 _Anewbeginningwouldn'thaveanightlegendhasitimpossibleitseemsandalwayswillbeyondthehorizoncurseuponmankindanewbeginningwouldn'thaveanightlegendhasitimpossibleitseemsandalwayswillbeyondthehorizoncurseuponmankind_ —

 _ **Stop**_.

 _ **Breath.**_

 _ **Inhale.**_

 _ **Exhale.**_

 _ **Breathe.**_

The man slowly opened his eyes, uncurled his fists, and let the past wash over him. Never before had he felt so old. Never before had he felt so alone. And never before had he felt so... so _hopeless_.

All that he knew from his life was gone and dead. He was utterly alone in a world that was forever changing and evolving and creating.

What would his younger self had said if he saw someone such as himself now, struggling to block out the past and accept the present.

 _Why does the sun set?_

The old man blinked in the said sun.

 _Why does the sun set?_

 _Why does the sun set?_

 _Why does the sun set?_

He felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips.

Yes. That's right. He would ask: _why does the sun set?_ and then wait for an answer. It didn't matter to him how long or how absurd it was as long as a reply was given.

Well — here was the old man's response:

Why, the sun set to remind Merlin of all he had lost with the sun and to reassure him of all that would come with the dawn.

He would remember his past by living for today.

Starting _**NOW**_.


End file.
